Fiona FrenchLondon Metropolitan University · School of Computing and Digital Media
Fiona French
PhD Computing (Specialism in Animal-Computer Interaction) - MSc Internet Technology - MA Applied Linguistics
Editing Special Edition of Animals: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals/special_issues/954F00ES71
About
37
Publications
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Introduction
Fiona French is an Associate Professor in the School of Computing and Digital Media, London Metropolitan University, UK. Her main research interest is Animal-Computer Interaction, and she enjoys developing tech-enabled enrichment for *all* species. She works with animal welfare experts to develop interactive systems that support autonomy and wellbeing, facilitates 'zoojam' design workshops and teaches games programming, game design, AI for games, and toy design and development.
Additional affiliations
January 2000 - present
Education
January 2014 - July 2021
September 1998 - August 1999
September 1991 - June 1992
Publications
Publications (37)
This paper addresses the potential for technology to support husbandry and enrichment opportunities that enhance the welfare of zoo and sanctuary-housed nocturnal and crepuscular species. This topic was investigated through the medium of a multidisciplinary workshop (Moon Jam) that brought together species experts, zoo designers, Animal-Computer In...
This workshop will use a zoo jam methodology to explore how technology can support the design and management of systems that enhance visitor experiences while supporting the enrichment and welfare of nocturnal species. Animals that are active in the dark can sometimes be overlooked by humans, simply because we do not perceive them, or we are not be...
Educators and students have shown significant interest in the potential for generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support student learning outcomes, for example, by offering personalized experiences, 24 h conversational assistance, text editing and help with problem-solving. We review contemporary perspectives on the value of AI a...
Here we describe a proof-of-concept case study focusing on the design and development of a novel computer interface that uses facial muscles to control interactivity within a virtual environment. We have developed a system comprised of skin-mounted electrodes that detect underlying muscle activity through electromyography. The signals from the elec...
This workshop aims to facilitate human participants to become more aware of other animals' sensory and aesthetic sensibilities, raising points for discussion and future research within ACI. For all animals, being able to make sense of the environment is crucial in order to gain control and make informed choices, as well as to achieve competence in...
This paper seeks to expand traditional aesthetic dimensions of design beyond the limits of human capability in order to encompass other species' sensory modalities. To accomplish this, the idea of inclusivity is extended beyond human cultural and personal identities and needs, to embrace multi-species experiences of places, events and interactions...
This workshop is focused on the design of novel kinds of environmental enrichment for zoo-housed reptiles, using technology to support the development of interactive systems and devices for capturing data. Participants will work virtually in small groups to ideate, reflect on and develop concepts, using a ZooJam approach, which is similar to a game...
This thesis explores the challenge for humans of designing and crafting interactive enrichment systems for elephants housed in captivity.
Captive elephants may have limited opportunity to express a full range of natural behaviours and therefore benefit from well-designed environmental enrichment. We asked whether technology could support the design...
This workshop is focused on the design of novel kinds of environmental enrichment for zoo-housed reptiles, using technology to support the development of interactive systems and devices for capturing data. Participants will work virtually in small groups to ideate, reflect on and develop concepts, using a ZooJam approach, which is similar to a game...
This is a demonstration of how to use a deck of Concept Craft Cards that represent the first iteration of a toolkit for Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) developers. The cards will be available to share, discuss and deploy online in relation to a series of non-human client briefs. At the top conceptual level, we offer suggestions for ACI developers...
Technology (digital or otherwise) is a great enabler; it bridges gaps and opens doors and, in the process, alters the reality within which it and its users exist. As technology aimed at non-human animals is becoming commonplace, questions about its efficacy and the ethical implications of its use are becoming ever more pertinent. To explore these i...
Article in Tierstudien 18/2020: Tiere und/als Medien
ed. Jessica Ullrich / Stefan Rieger
ISBN: 978-3-95808-315-8
available 31 Oct 2020
https://neofelis-verlag.de/verlagsprogramm/zeitschriften/tierstudien/1014/tiere-und/als-medien
This one-day workshop examines how we might use technologies to support design for playful interspecies communication and considers some of the potential implications. Here we explore aspects of playful technology and reflect on what opportunities computers can provide for facilitating communication between species. The workshop's focal activity wi...
Species-specific aesthetics is an important consideration for interaction designers working with animals. The paper explores the concept of species-specific aesthetics with particular reference to elephants. Applying existing aesthetic dimensions and design principles to the challenge of designing interactive enrichment for them, we show how the in...
This is a report of three ZooJams that have taken place at the annual Animal-Computer Interaction conference. The ZooJam is a type of workshop whose aim is to extend the reach of UX design beyond human experience in order to become inclusive of other species and their interactions with technology. Our attempts have knitted together colleagues from...
This workshop is designed to offer participants an opportunity to explore different kinds of auditory enrichment for a range of animals in different environments. Teams of participants will work together on a small set of briefs provided by domain experts, brainstorming ideas and developing concepts into well-designed blueprints for prototype devic...
This workshop will allow participants to work together to devise novel forms of technically enhanced enrichment for farm animals. It will take the format of a gamejam, whereby teams will be given clear briefs, they will brainstorm concepts and present their ideas to the group for feedback and analysis.
This paper explores Research through Design (RtD) as a potential methodology for developing new interactive experiences for animals. We present an example study from an ongoing project and examine whether RtD offers an appropriate framework for developing knowledge in the context of Animal-Computer Interaction, as well as considering how best to do...
This paper investigates the potential for using technology to support the development of sensory and cognitive enrichment activities for captive elephants. It explores the usefulness of applying conceptual frameworks from interaction design and game design to the problem of developing species-specific smart toys that promote natural behaviours and...
This case study describes our progress towards the goal of providing technology-enhanced enrichment for an Asian elephant so that she can exercise choice and control. We offer guidelines for developers to show how interaction design with a captive elephant might be approached.
This workshop explores different ways to use technology to facilitate hunting behaviour enrichment for zoo-housed animals and parallel gaming experiences for zoo visitors.
This case study describes approaches to the challenge of designing interfaces for an elephant that enable her to control playful systems in her enclosure, for the purpose of enriching her environment. Our contribution to the symposium will showcase the progress of the enrichment toys and explain in detail how we have collected feedback during parti...
This workshop will explore research into interactive and digital technologies in zoos, aquariums and wildlife parks. Such sites are making increasing use of technology in their work to foster educational, emotional and entertaining connections between visitors and animals, with the goal of transforming attitudes to wildlife and conservation. Bringi...
This work explores the use of technology to help create different kinds of interfaces for controls aimed at captive elephants, enabling them to interact with digitally enhanced playful systems (smart toys). The focus of the paper is on current participatory design sessions with an elephant and her keepers, giving rise to insights on species-specifi...
This research is investigating the potential for designing digital toys and games as playful cognitive enrichment activities for captive elephants. The new field of Animal Computer Interaction is exploring a range of approaches to the problem of designing user-centred systems for animals and this investigation into devices for elephants aims to dir...
This project investigates the potential for designing playful cognitive enrichment activities for captive elephants. We explore the usefulness of applying conceptual frameworks from HCI and game design to the problem of developing species-specific smart toys that promote natural behaviour and provide stimulation.
Available: doc.gold.ac.uk/aisb50/A...
The Life Project explores issues of psychological projection into technology by diving into the convoluted relationship between practical purpose and emotional attachment, through both the creative act of designing and making robot entities with artificial emotions, and the social act of engaging with them. This process explores the concept of body...
As part of the EFFECTS award (Effective Framework for Embedding Communications and Information Technology using Targeted Support), the necessity of evaluating the use of Information and Communications Technology (I&CT) in teaching and learning was reinforced and, as a result, the following study has been produced. This formative evaluation reflects...
In this paper we consider the enhanced Problem Based Learning Grid, the conceptual framework for learning using the Grid and our research method. We explain the role of the Grid in describing the interaction of lecturer, tutor, student and multimedia developer in three different case studies, each of which has been chosen to demonstrate the interac...
The original concept was to create a 'simulation' which would provide trainee teachers, specializing in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with the opportunity to explore a primary school environment. Within the simulation, factors affecting the development and implementation of ICT would be modelled so that trainees would be able to d...
In this paper, we examine the rationale behind the specification and design of an interactive, virtual environment, optimized for particular task-based learning activities and the dissemination of information. The software we describe represents a typical British primary school for use in training Information and Communications Technology (ICT) coo...